Elise Thoron works
   
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Elise Thoron
 
Works
Poetry Musicals directing Lit to Life Cultural Exchange Translation

In addition to directing cultural exchanges, Literature to Life, and poetry, the bulk of my work is developing new work. Directing is just a tip of the iceberg, developing the text or performance takes much more time. Working with writers, actors, dancers, musicians to create something from nothing is exhilarating, always an immense challenge.  Working in Russia, I inherited a passion for rehearsing productions for longer time spans than are common to rehearsal periods in American theater.  Most of my pieces have long gestation periods, but then have long lives on various stages. Recently, I have been collaborating with spoken word poet, Lemon Andersen, expanding the audience who goes to a theater as part of our developing a new show.  My favorite audiences are wildly diverse, where people are learning from their neighbors’ reaction to what is happening on stage…

ToasT Layer the Walls – my first foray into directing puppets (who are as exacting as actors) was a total delight. Kudos to the whole team for telling these important stories of past immigrants to make sense of the now. Learn more at www.layerthewalls.com
   
ToasT ToasT (developer/director) new play by Lemon Andersen based on an oral tradition of Black narrative poetry. Click here for more information about Lemon and ToasT.
   
Law of Return THE LAW OF RETURN (director) by Martin Blank. Production nominated for 4 Innovative Theater awards including best premiere production of a new play. Inspired by the events surrounding the polarizing Jay Pollard espionage case, Blank's original spy thriller depicts the actions of a notorious intelligence analyst abusing his level of access and threatening U.S. nation security. Or is he? Click here for photos.
   
ToasT

ELENI (developed/director) by Rajika Puri, Indo-Greek dance-theater piece about the Bronze Age Queen of Sparta, later known in history as Helen of Troy, with musicians Bridegt Kibbey (Harp), Eric (Indian Flute), Mark (percussion) (Commissioned/performed at Chennai Dance Festival, 2012, and other venues in India).

     
Hatuey  

COUNTY OF KINGS (developed/director) by Tony Award winning poet Lemon Andersen commissioned by American Place Theatre, New York and performed for students as part of the Literature to Life program. Produced at Under the Radar Festival by the Public Theater, and at The Public Theater with Spike Lee, performed other festivals and venues around the world: South Africa, Amsterdam, Sweden, Los Angeles, Spoleto Festival, and BEAT Brooklyn, USA. Edited County of Kings the book, won Brooklyn Book Festival Award. Documentary film made about making County of Kings: Lemon shown on PBS. Learn more about County of Kings here.

     
Hatuey  

GOOD MORNING MOSCOW (developed/director) by M. Kostalevskaya, Bard Summer Music Festival (Shostakovich, 2004), Sosnoff Theater.

     
Hatuey  

I LOVE AMERICA by Lidia Ramirez, based on oral histories of Dominicans and Americans, about perilous trips taken in open air boats to arrive in America. American Place Theater (2001-2); Queens Theatre in the Park, Central Library Mark Taper Center, Los Angeles; Joe's Pub; Aaron Davis Hall (1999).

     
Hatuey  

SLOW DRAG by Carson Kreitzer, w/ Peggy Shaw as Billie Tipton and jazz ensemble, American Place Theater, (1996).

     
Hatuey  

THE MAYOR OF BOYSTOWN by Barnaby Spring based on the author's experiences growing up in the legendary home for boys in Nebraska. It was one for the first theater pieces to speak about child abuse and explore ongoing effects in adult's lives. Written up in Time . American Place Theater (1994).

     
Hatuey  

running the red by Michael Garces, INTAR, score by David M Lawson, recorded (1994)

     
Hatuey  

THE WOMAN WHO SHOT LENIN by Svetlana Boym, Charlestown Working Theater, won best of Boston for leading actress. (1990) In Memory of Svetlana Boym, who died August 2015.